History

During the university’s 50-year history, it has remained independent, surviving chaotic political regimes, wars and civil strife that ensued after Congo gained independence from Belgium in 1960. In 1961, after the assassination of Congo’s first elected Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba, chaos reigned. During the Simba Rebellion in the mid-1960’s, rebels moved into the city of Kisangani, the university’s home, forcing it to move to Kinshasa where it joined forces with an established Roman Catholic university until it was able to return to its home in Kisangani. For 20 years, the university survived nationalization under Mobutu Sese Seko, the longtime dictator. Shortly after regaining its independence and moving to the capital city of Kinshasa, the Schools of Business and Law were established. Then came the wars in the late 1990's and early 2000's when approximately 5.4 million Congolese lost their lives.  Yet, the University remained stable and, in 2006, the School of Medicine opened.